Apple Valley, CA Accessory Structures: ADU Rules (2026)
ADU rules in Apple Valley, CA, also called accessory dwelling unit regulations or granny flat ordinances, cover setbacks, owner-occupancy, parking, and permit requirements.
Key Facts
- Ministerial review deadline
- 60 days
- Attached ADU max size
- 50% of home or 1,200 sf
- Guaranteed minimum ADU
- 800 sf, 16 ft, 4-ft setbacks
- Detached ADU height (multifamily lot)
- 16 ft, 4-ft setbacks
- Rental term minimum
- 30 days
- Parking required
- none
- Governing section
- Sec. 9.29.120
Summary
Apple Valley must approve accessory dwelling unit permits ministerially within 60 days under Development Code Section 9.29.120, which implements state ADU law and guarantees an 800-square-foot, 16-foot-tall ADU with four-foot setbacks regardless of a lot's usual coverage limit.
D.Permit Requirements. All accessory dwelling units shall be subject to a building permit and comply will all Building and Fire Codes. Applications for accessory dwelling units shall be approved or disapproved ministerially pursuant to the requirements of this Section within sixty (60) days of a determination that the application is complete, as required by Gov. Code, § 65852.2(b). ... 8.No provisions within this Code, including lot coverage or legal nonconformity, shall preclude either an attached or detached 800 square foot accessory dwelling unit that is at least sixteen (16) feet in height with four (4)-foot side yard and rear yard setbacks.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 19 Update 1).
Full Breakdown
22, so state law sets the outer limits and the town fills in the design and processing detail. 2(b) requires. A lot with an existing or proposed single-family home may add one ADU plus one junior ADU inside the primary residence; a lot with an existing multifamily structure may convert non-habitable space into ADUs up to the greater of one unit or 25% of the existing unit count, plus up to two detached ADUs. 040-A coverage percentage says. An attached ADU is capped at 50% of the primary home's habitable floor area or 1,200 square feet, whichever is greater, and must match the primary home's exterior materials, roof slope and colors.
5 acres is capped the same way and must sit to the rear of the primary dwelling; on a multifamily lot, a detached ADU is limited to 16 feet in height with four-foot rear and side setbacks. No parking is required for any ADU, and a garage removed to make way for one does not need to be replaced.
Violations & Fines
An ADU built without the ministerial permit required by Section 9.29.120(D), or one exceeding the size, height or setback standards in subsections (H) through (K), is enforced as a Development Code violation under Section 9.26.010: an infraction or misdemeanor under Municipal Code Section 1.01.200, punishable by up to $1,000 and six months in jail, with each day of noncompliance a separate offense under Section 9.26.030.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Apple Valley require extra parking for an ADU?
Can lot coverage rules block me from building an 800-square-foot ADU?
How long does the Town have to approve my ADU permit?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Apple Valley
How Apple Valley compares: Easiest Cities to Build an ADU·California rules heatmap·Compare Apple Valley to another location·View the California accessory structures overview
See something wrong?
Help us keep this page accurate. If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.
ADU Rules in Nearby Cities
How other cities in San Bernardino County handle adu rules.